No Fate, But What We Make
by Oriondruid
Summary: Bellatrix Lestrange, The most hated and feared, the most insanely murderous witch of all time. Unloved and unmourned when killed at 'The Battle of Hogwarts' fighting for the wrong side. But did that have to be her fate?
1. Chapter 1 The Duel In The Garden, Pt 1

**No Fate, But What We Make**

In Which A Pureblood Heroine Seizes Her Destiny.

Plot Summary:-

Bellatrix Lestrange, The most hated, the most feared, the most insanely murderous witch of all time. Unloved and unmourned when killed at 'The Battle of Hogwarts' fighting for the wrong side. But did that have to be her fate? What if, as a beautiful young woman, she was made to see her future and given the chance to change it? This is the story of that 'other' Bellatrix, Bella Black. Still a haughty, arrogant 'Pureblood' who does not tolerate fools gladly, or indeed at all. But also a brave and phenomenally powerful 'warrior witch', and one who chooses a very different course for her life. This is a _very_ Alternate Universe story, from someone who more usually does 'future projections', from a more 'canon' wizarding world.

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**Chapter One. The Duel In The Garden, Part One.**

Lord Voldermort approached the house in Godric's Hollow making his way through some children in the street who were out that Halloween Eve, 'trick or treating'. One little boy in costume got in his way, and for a moment for the child's 'presumption' in daring to obstruct Lord Voldermort he thought he would kill the boy, but decided it was not necessary or prudent and instead moved on towards his primary goal, the Potters!

As he got close to the house he entered the state of cold killing frenzy that those who knew him were in stark terror of. In that state he was capable of anything, despite his apparent icy self control. He entered the garden gate of the Potter's cottage and saw that the house lights were on in the front lounge and upstairs in a bedroom. As he approached Lord Voldermort could see through the open curtains of the ground floor room that it was empty and that two wands lay on opposite arms of the sofa. He assumed that the Potters were upstairs putting their baby, Harry, to bed. "The fools have left themselves unarmed, this will be easy!" Lord Voldermort thought. Pointing his own wand at the front door it quietly opened and Lord Voldermort entered the house.

Silently climbing the dimly lit stairway he could see the light from the bedroom spilling out onto the landing above. He reached it, pushed wide the partially open bedroom door. Then stood there, rigidly stunned by what he saw.

"Good evening 'My Lord', a pleasant night for murder wouldn't you say?" Said Bellatrix Black, her voice dripping sarcasm.

Lord Voldermort did nor dare raise his wand hand from his side where, (thinking he would be facing an unarmed James and Lily Potter), he had made the mistake of letting it drop. He knew the witch that faced him, well knew her capabilities and that she had him very much in her 'sights', pointing her own wand directly at his heart.

"Bellatrix, what are you doing here? What is the meaning of this defiance, How dare you?" Lord Voldermort asked her.

The beautiful Pureblood witch, with her hair immaculately styled and as elegantly dressed as ever in a stunning lace trimmed black dress, looked coldly at Lord Voldermort and replied. "I _dare_, 'My Lord', (the very words a curse as they left her lips), in order to stop you bringing ruin and disaster upon all our kind and besmirching the proud name of Pureblood Witches and Wizards throughout the world, you filthy, murdering, half blood mongrel! Yes I know of your lies, you're no more a Pureblood than Lily Potter is!"

You thought to come here and murder the Potters because of some mad idea about '_your destiny_', she sneered. I have no great love of James Potter and his Muggleborn wife, as you must know, but even at my worst, when I was your devoted dupe, I hope I would have baulked at allowing you to murder them and especially slaughtering their innocent child! I had a 'little word' with Peter Pettigrew earlier this afternoon after he left you and following some 'gentle persuasion' he told me your plans. Then I came here and warned the Potters. They've left and are now safely protected by Dumbledore and The Order of The Phoenix, whilst I stayed here and waited to have this meeting with you.

"Now, drop your wand on the floor and go downstairs and out into the rear garden, I shall follow. There you shall be given a fair chance to fight for your worthless life. The choice is yours, but if you'd rather I could kill you right here and now, where you stand. Although I'd prefer not make a mess of the Potter's nice little house, it would be such bad manners to leave bits and pieces of your corpse all over their nursery floor. As even a pseudo Pureblood like yourself should know, good manners, even towards our social inferiors, are something we genuine Purebloods pride ourselves upon."

Lord Voldermort did as he was ordered having been given no choice. Reluctantly he dropped his wand on the floor and Bellatrix made him back off as she picked it up with a flick of her own wand. They then went down the stairs with Lord Voldermort leading and emerged into the garden at the rear of the Potter's home, walking to the furthest end away from the house itself.

When they got to the far end of the garden Bellatrix calmly and simply said, "And now we duel."

Lord Voldermort replied, 'Very well Bellatrix, if this is how you choose to die then so be it, you will be begging for death before I finally kill you!"

With that he held out his hand for his wand but Bellatrix sneered and said, " Oh no 'My Lord', you think me a fool? I know you too well. You pretend to be an honourable man and that you would follow the rules of fair duelling which we Purebloods established, but your every action gives the lie to that! If I gave you your wand right now then you would kill me as we bow to each other. I think not! No, you shall go over there, by that big tree and I shall stay here. Then after we carry out the 'formal pleasantries' I shall throw you your wand and then we'll fight."

"Very well then," Lord Voldermort said, "Have it your own way Bellatrix, no matter, you will die anyway." And saying that he walked off to the place which Bella had indicated. They bowed to each other, then Bellatrix threw Lord Voldermort his wand, he caught it and their duel began.


	2. Chapter 2 A Slytherin 'Princess'

**Chapter Two. A Slytherin 'Princess'.**

**Several Years Earlier...**

"Hurry up Bella!" her friend Morganna Wilson said impatiently. "If you don't stop titivating your hair we'll be too late to meet up with the boys and miss the whole start of the ball!"

Bellatrix Black looked back at her pretty friend Morganna, smiling at her in the mirror and said, "I'm sorry Mo, I just wanted to make sure it was okay, This ball will be my first 'proper' date with Ian apart from a couple of Hogsmeade weekends and I want to look my best.

"You look gorgeous Bella and you know it." Morganna said coming up behind her seated friend and giving her a gentle kiss on the back of her head, being careful not to muss her hair. "Ian Devere 'hyphen' Jones is going to drool and I doubt he'll even be able to talk when he first sees you. I'll be ready with a 'Rennervate' spell, just in case," she giggled.

Bellatrix stood up from her chair walked over in front of the Slytherin girl's dorm dressing mirror and smoothed down the gorgeous midnight black silk ball gown that hung off of her beautiful, flawless shoulders. The charmed fabric shimmered iridescently like a raven's wings. She then tied the sash of the matching wand pouch around her waist, for without her wand to hand no self-respecting young Pureblood witch would feel properly dressed for a formal occasion.

Bella took a final look in the full length mirror on the wall, nodded at her reflection in approval and the two sixteen year old girls went out through the Slytherin Common Room and headed up to the lobby in front of The Great Hall.

There they met up with their dates for the evening. Bellatrix approached the 'tall dark and handsome' young Ravenclaw Pureblood, Ian Devere-Jones who was wearing elegant dark blue dress robes and awaiting her arrival. On seeing her he stood there slack jawed for a second, too stunned to speak or even move, just as Bella's friend had predicted.

However Morganna did not need to use her Rennervate spell as she'd threatened since, as Bella reached him, Ian recovered the power of speech and said,"Bellatrix, you look gorgeous, that dress makes you look like a fairytale princess, the way the black reflects so many iridescent colours with every move, it's beautiful, and so are you!"

"Thank you Ian, you're looking rather dashing yourself tonight. At least those robes are far better than the scruffy old Quiddich shirt and jeans you normally slob about in when we go to the village anyway," she teased. Bellatrix then smiled and held out her hand to Ian.

He took it, executed a perfect, formal, Pureblood bow, raised her hand to his lips and kissed it, sending goosebumps up Bella's arm. Ian then went on to say "You're looking very lovely tonight too Morganna, if I may say so, the blue of that dress matches your eyes perfectly."

"Why thank you young sir!" Morganna replied and curtsied in mock formality, then looking around saw her own date, Geoffrey Wheeler, a half blood Gryffindor prefect, approaching from the other side of the lobby. He was a lean, tall, athletic looking boy with blond hair and was also immaculately turned out, in fine, dark, wine red dress robes. He reached Ian and the girls and Morganna smiled at him. Geoffrey looked just as stunned and impressed by Morganna's outfit as Ian had been by Bella's.

Recovering the power of speech himself Geoffrey said, "Wow! What happened to the scruffy, tree climbing tomboy with her hair in rats? Who are you and what have you done with Morganna Wilson?" He jokingly asked.

"Oh, I've got her locked up in the dungeons Geoff. I'm actually an evil old hag, but I've transformed with Polyjuice Potion in order to seduce you." Morganna joked in reply.

Then just like Bella had before Morganna held out her hand for Geoffrey to kiss. He took it and did so with enthusiasm, but first clicking his heels and bowing his head in a stiff, mock Germanic gesture, like some old-fashioned Prussian nobleman.

Morganna and Bella both giggled at his behaviour and then both couples, arm in arm, joined the formal line led by the Head Boy and Head Girl, waiting to enter The Great Hall. When they got inside they found it was decorated gorgeously for the Yule Ball, with everywhere glistening in magical snow and ice, which looked exactly like the real thing but which did not make it feel cold, despite the 'icicles' hanging from the wall lamps and ceiling and the 'snow' seemingly all around. It enveloped the dozen large brightly lit Christmas trees dotted around the hall and there was even a light dusting of 'snow' falling from above, but evaporating into thin air a few feet above their heads and never quite reaching the ground. It was a beautiful setting for a party.

The Headmaster stood up, approached the lectern and said, "Welcome everyone, pupils and staff, to this year's Yule Ball. If the Head boy and Head Girl will take their place on the dance floor for the first dance then these festivities can get under way, I hope you all enjoy yourselves, eat, drink and be merry one and all. And a happy Yule!

Later on the party was well under way when the two couples took a break from the dancing and sat down for a while, feeling like a snack from the buffet and something to drink. The boys went off to fetch their young ladies some food and some of the special low alcohol elf-made wine the pupils were permitted and the girls got chatting as they awaited their return.

"So," said Bella. "You and Geoff seem to be getting along very well, Who'd have thought it, a Slytherin and a Gryffindor eh?" Bella smiled at her friend, "I must admit for a half blood he's a very nice guy, not to mention dishy. My parents would have a fit if I dated him though, but luckily for you your family are not so strict about such things are they?"

"Oh Bella," Morganna said, "I wish you wouldn't let your family's prejudices control your life so much. I know that being a Black must be hard, what with so much family history and tradition weighing down on you, but honestly, this is the Twentieth Century, not the Eighteenth! I know for a fact that you yourself are nowhere near as 'stuck up' as the rest of your family."

"I try not to be Mo," Bellatrix replied. "But I do have to walk a fine line, since my parents are so firm about such things. I don't want to upset them, and after all many Pureblood traditions are well worth maintaining. I am proud to be a Black, but I just hope that our family can become a little more 'relaxed' by the time my own children are growing up."

"Well lets hope so," Bella's friend replied, "enough of the serious stuff though, this is supposed to be a party after all. So, to lighter, more fun matters, what are you doing this Christmas Bella?" Asked Morgana. "Going home to London to see the family as usual, like me I suppose? Boring, boring, it's fine for a couple of days, but two whole weeks, Ugh!"

"Yes," replied Bellatrix, "Well I'll be there for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the whole first week anyway. But then for the second week my older sister Andromeda and myself are off to do some skiing in the French Alps. My cousin Regulus and his girlfriend were originally coming along too, with a couple of friends of theirs, but then they all decided to drop out and go and stay with friends in a cottage they've rented in the West Country instead, for the run up to the New Year.

Bella gave her friend a shy grin and said, "I'm going to be daring and ask Ian if he can join us in secret. Andromeda's dishy boyfriend Mark will be there and it's a huge chalet that our family own out there. Andy and I have always got on well and tell each other everything. We keep each other's secrets and I'm sure she won't tell our parents about Ian joining us if I ask her not to. Now the others aren't coming there's plenty of spare rooms, I'd love it if you and Geoff could join us too. I don't think Andy and Mark will too badly 'cramp our styles' as chaperones either, they'll probably be a bit too 'busy' themselves, she giggled. As long as my parents don't find out it'll be great. In fact I will 'legitimately' ask them if you can come, as they won't object to that."

"Ooh, that'd be brilliant Bella!" Said Morganna. "I'd love to come, it sounds so romantic, I'm sure I can get my parents permission, Daddy will let me do just about anything I ask him, I've got him twisted around my little finger." Morganna giggled. "So it's just Mum to 'sort out', I'll tell her it'll be an 'educational experience' to visit France, she'll fall for that one I'm sure. I'll ask Geoff too, let's hope he says yes as well."

The boys returned with the food and after a quick snack Bella said to Ian. It's a bit stuffy in here, fancy some air? You two could come as well if you like," She said turning to Morganna and Geoff. Then winking and looking around her to make sure no teachers were observing them she surreptitiously pulled a half bottle of muggle vodka a little way from her tiny beaded purse, which obviously had an invisible extension charm to make the inside big enough hold it. She then swiftly hid it again.

"Oh Ho!" Exclaimed Ian. "Who's a naughty girl then?" He joked. "But then again I've been a naughty boy too." And Ian reached into the inside pocket of his dress robes and pulled out the neck of a full bottle of the 'adults' version of the elf made wine, which he'd somehow managed to 'borrow' whilst up at the bar. "That's why I always ask my tailor to make the inside pockets on my robes extra large and strong, I tell 'em it's so I can carry books and parchment," he laughed.

The two couples casually wandered out of The Great Hall and then as they approached the front door of the castle Bella skillfully cast an invisibility charm over the group.

It was a Disillusion Charm of such power that her teachers would have thought it way beyond the magical ability of a N.E.W.T. student like Bellatrix.

Under the charm's cover they easily avoided the notice of a couple of members of staff who were on 'lookout duty' against pupils sneaking out into the grounds. Once outside they slid off into the shadows of the carriage stables, where it was quiet and Bella undid the charm, which had been so effective it had even hidden themselves from each other.

Sitting in a carriage to keep out of the cold, with the girls shoulders warmly wrapped in the thick woollen travel blankets of the carriage they began to share their illicit bounty, mixing the vodka and the sweet elf made wine and getting a little tipsy as the evening turned into a passionate snogging session.

Eventually, Bella and Mo, whilst 'coming up for air' for a while told the two boys about their plans for the holiday and both Ian and Geoff said they'd love to come and they'd try and get their parent's permission to go, by claiming they'd be with male friends. "After all Bella, why shouldn't we have a holiday together without our parents?" said Geoff, slightly slurring his words, "We're all nearly of age now, your older sister and her boyfriend will be there as chaperones and remember girls, I'm a School Prefect. If you can't trust a Hogwarts School Prefect who can you trust eh?"

At that they all started laughing, then they finished off the remains of their drinks and headed back into The Great Hall for another slow smoochy dance.


	3. Chapter 3 A Holiday To Remember

**Chapter Three. A Holiday to Remember**

The Christmas holiday journey back to London on the Hogwarts Express for the four of them was a happy one and they were all met by their parents at King's Cross, Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Bella's parents happily agreed to Morganna joining Bella on the France trip, as company for her of her own age. They did not, (of course), get told that the two boys might also be joining them, only Bella's sister Andromeda was later told that.

Bella had a fairly enjoyable week at home, having a traditional pureblood Christmas with the Black family and their guests, spoiled only by the presence of her oldest sister Narcissa's recently acquired husband, the unctious and reptilian Lucius Malfoy, whom Bella couldn't stand.

At the end of the first week Bella and Andromeda were helped to pack their luggage for their skiing trip to France by Kreacher, the house elf, and then accompanied by Andromeda's boyfriend Mark, plus Morganna, who had joined them at the Black House they set out in the morning to Dover, by muggle train. There they met Ian and Geoff, as had been secretly arranged over the previous few days.

However, instead of taking the muggle ferry across to France the group travelled from the top of the White Cliffs, over the grey choppy looking sea to the other side by Portkey. Once there they picked up another which took them to their ski chalet in the French Alps. The distance having been considered too far to safely do as a large group with luggage in one 'hop' from London.

Arriving at their chalet the couples split up the available accommodation between them. All the boys and girls 'theoretically' having a separate bedroom each, as it was a large property. Then they went out to the ski lifts for their first afternoon on the slopes.

Because of Hogwarts' northerly location and the nearby Scottish mountains it was very common for pupils to learn to ski during their time at the school, amidst the heavy snows of winter. Many Hogwarts pupils became very competent skiers, as indeed had all three couples.

Having spent a happy afternoon on the slopes with each other and shared an evening meal in a village restaurant, (paying with their local muggle money which they had got supplied by Gringotts), the six of them headed back to their chalet and spent a couple of hours around a blazing fire in the lounge chatting.

They all then began to feel tired, or at least said they did, and headed off to bed. Bella and Mo who had adjoining interconnected rooms sat together and waited wide awake and listened intently, until they heard the distant sounds of Mark creeping into Andromeda's room.

They then waited a further fifteen minutes, then very quietly the girls sneaked out of their rooms and went to those of Geoff and Ian.

Of course being intelligent and well brought up young ladies neither of them intended going 'all the way' with their boyfriends, but they wanted to be together with them and a lot more intimate than they had been so far back home. That was just what they did for quite some time, the girls only returning back to their own rooms several hours later.

The next day at breakfast all three young women had that 'well loved' but slightly sleep deprived glow, which almost gave the youngest two girls away to Bella's older sister. The three couples spent the following two days skiing and indulging in a similar 'nocturnal routine'. However, on the third day they took a local train from the village station into a larger nearby town which they knew to be a bit of a hub for the French magical community, to shop in the local equivalent of Diagon Alley.

This they found fascinating, both for the similarities and also for the differences between the two places. It was all a little confusing, but luckily Andromeda, Bellatrix and Morganna spotted some Beauxbatons girls who obviously knew where the best local shops were and followed in their wake. Striking up a conversation between themselves in a mix of English schoolgirl French and French schoolgirl English the combined party of young ladies then started shopping like 'professionals'. Andromeda, Bellatrix and Morganna all bought some stylish clothes, lingerie and lovely perfume.

Next they and their new French friends went off to a small local wine bar and had a drink and a light spot of lunch, the local 'under-age' laws being much relaxed compared to to Britain's and in any case dressed and made up as they were both Bellatrix and Morganna looked a fair bit more mature than their actual sixteen, 'going on seventeen', years. The Beauxbatons girls had taken off the school lapel pins that had identified them and which they'd only been wearing because they permitted them to get cheaper train tickets into town. Other than the lapel pins they were not in school uniform either, as it was a holiday. Being dressed casually, but elegantly they too had no problem getting served in the bar either.

The boys had spent their money a bit more frugally and quite slowly. After looking around the shops for a long while they simply settled on buying some Quidditch shirts and posters of the local teams as souvenirs and some local cheese, bread and wine for that evening's supper when they got back.

Both the girls and the boys had also bought presents for their loved ones to give to them when they got home. It had, however, taken the boys a long time to decide what to buy as gifts. Finally finishing their more 'amateurish' shopping session they then tracked down their girlfriends and a bit of a merry party then ensued in the bar between the Brits and the French girls. Although Andromeda, Bella and Morganna did all have to mildly rebuke their menfolk a couple of times for their tendency to stare at their new local friends. Although they weren't too angry at them, as all three British girls were fairly certain that at least some of the Beauxbatons girls were part Veela!

The three couples then parted from their new French friends after exchanging addresses and headed back by train to their chalet, their boyfriends burdened with most of the girl's copious bags of shopping, as well as their own. That evening the couples then had a lovely romantic cheese, bread and wine 'picnic' by the large roaring fire, Andromeda and Mark having become a lot more relaxed about Geoff and Ian kissing their girlfriends in their presence.

The remainder of the week flew by with more skiing by day and gentle lovemaking by night, although for Bella, Ian, Morganna and Geoff who had been 'sensible' this had not gone much beyond what the Americans call 'heavy petting'. However, Andromeda and Mark had told them that they had not been in the least fooled by their 'nocturnal scurryings' and that they knew full well what was going on at night. But, they explained, they were going to treat them as the adults they nearly were and that they were trusting them not to let things go 'too far'.

Indeed for the last couple of nights the two younger couples were quite open with the older pair and were allowed to spend both full nights together, sleeping in each other's arms. Then, all too soon it was time for the idyllic holiday to end and they reluctantly packed and took their Portkeys back home.


	4. Chapter 4 An End To Innocence

**Chapter Four. Childhood's End And An End To Innocence.**

Bellatrix and Morganna's schoolgirl romances both continued to blossom and throughout their remaining time at Hogwarts the two couples sought each others company whenever they could, to spend their free time together. Eventually after they completed their schooling, (both sets of boys and girls getting excellent N.E.W.T.s grades), they left Hogwarts and the shortly afterwards the girls announced to their families their hopes getting engaged to their boyfriends, once they were both eighteen. Bella's family were not averse to this, having met Ian as he'd been to 12 Grimmauld Place, the Black family home, several times. They liked his manners, approved of his Pureblood status and also of his family's wealth. Good family and material wealth being very important factors in matters of marriage to the Blacks.

Although Geoff was a half blood and Morganna's family Purebloods they were far less strict in such matters, so when she told them she intended to get engaged to Geoff shortly they too were very supportive, liking him a lot.

The two young women for a while even considered the possibility of a joint wedding, but Bella realised that it could never happen. Her own family would never be able to tolerate the presence of Geoff's because of their belief in Pureblood superiority. Bellatrix could never have gone against their wishes, even though personally she greatly liked Morganna's boyfriend. Bella would privately admit to herself sometimes that, perhaps, much of what her family believed was hokum. But then again she loved them and didn't want to deliberately disappoint them.

For a career, after leaving school however Bellatrix chose one which was somewhat unusual for a Pureblood young lady, that of an Auror. Whilst this career choice was, of course, a perfectly 'respectable' one Purebloods generally slightly disapproved of fellow Purebloods hunting fellow wizards and witches, no matter how evil, 'tainted' of blood or dishonest they might be. But of itself Bella's family could not really stop her or come up with any valid argument why she should not follow her chosen path, and Bellatrix was not so cowered by them as to be unable to successfully argue against the few invalid objections they raised.

Bellatrix entered the Auror training academy and passed the rigourous and gruelling course with ease, having already shown a strong aptitude for aggressive and defensive spell work, having been a top ranking member of the Duelling Club at Hogwarts and already knowing powerful concealement spells which she'd used to her advantage whilst there. Indeed it was her skill in and aptitude for magical combat and stealth which had inspired her career choice in the first place.

Bella completed the course with honours and as an acting Junior Squad Leader.

After her training and qualifying period Bellatrix and Ian wed and settled down into a happy if somewhat irregular married life, unusual partly in that Bella had insisted on retaining her Black family surname. She'd refused to become a Devere-Jones or worse still a Devere-Jones-Black and didn't take her husband's name, even though he was also a Pureblood. This was unusual, but not forbidden under wizarding law. Also the presence of an Auror in the marriage meant she worked very odd hours and they might not get to see each other for days at a time. Ian however was in a somewhat more stable and regular career in the Ministry of Magic's Internal Administration Department. He joked that at least one of them should be able to get bored at work when they felt like it.

After a while Bellatrix's Department became aware of a possible growing threat from a man suspected to be a 'rising star' of the dark wizarding world, a man previously known as Tom Riddle and now calling himself Lord Voldermort. Bella was assigned to do some research into this man, his policies and his followers. She read some of his speeches from the time of his first public emergence and oddly much of what he said chimed as familiar, since he was simply saying very similar things to what members of her own family professed. His theories revolved around Pureblood superiority and how the Pureblood witches and wizards should wisely rule for the benefit of all, magical or muggle. She resolved to go and see this 'Lord Voldermort' speak in person and see for herself exactly what he was and what he had to say. As he was not as yet operating 'underground' and no formal criminal charges were laid against him it would not be so hard for her to do so.

She went along one evening to one of 'Lord Voldermort's' public talks and although he did seem a trifle 'dark' to her he was also a charming and able public speaker and seemed, to Bella, to be talking much sense. Indeed nothing he said, of itself, was against what she herself had been taught since childhood. She could not see why her Department were so worried about this man and why he was under close surveillance.

Bellatrix attended subsequent meetings he held and found herself slowly drawn in by what he was saying, his oratory being most compelling and almost hypnotic. Then after one particularly inspiring speech she was actually able to meet the man face to face and found him charming and sincere. She fell totally under his spell without his needing to use any magic against her, she had been seduced entirely.

That night Bellatrix told him all about the Auror Department's surveillance of him, offering to help keep him informed of their actions. Bella's fall into hell had begun.

Slowly Bellatrix was drawn into Lord Voldermort's innermost circle, becoming a valuable 'mole' for him in the Auror Department and her loyalty to him growing all the time. Her family were no help to her either. Her much loved cousin Regulus was a close supporter of Lord Voldermort, eventually becoming a fully fledged Death Eater, as those who accepted Voldermort's 'Dark Mark' on their flesh were called.

However Bellatrix, since she was working inside the Auror Department, (by now effectively as a spy), did not get branded with the 'Dark Mark' since it would have betrayed her true allegiance. The older members of the Black family, except Andromeda, who kept her peace, voiced their approval of what Regulus and Bella were doing and so she and Regulus were both drawn ever further in to Voldermort's web. Even when the 'disappearances' started she was blind to the evil growing around her. Bella terminated her old friendship with Morganna and Geoff, since no Voldermort supporter were permitted friends who were not Purebloods and Morganna was married to a half blood, putting her 'beyond the pale'. Bella's marriage to Ian also came to an end and they seperated, it broke up in acrimony over her obsession with Voldermort and Ian's suspicion that she had become his mistress.

Lord Voldermort then began to teach Bellatrix darker and darker magic, letting her in on more and more of his secrets. Eventually, (when he knew she was his devoted slave and hopelessly in love with him), even telling her a little about his creation of his horcruxes, his anchors to immortality. Although not telling exactly how he'd made them, what they were or where they were hidden.


	5. Chapter 5 Realization And Redemption

**Chapter Five. Realisation and Redemption.**

Some while later things took an even more sinister turn as Regulus Black, Bella's own cousin disappeared, like many had done so before him. However Bella didn't link this into Lord Voldermort's actions immediately, as she knew Regulus himself was a Death Eater so why would her beloved Lord Voldermort have hurt him? Her family were distraught when Regulus vanished, but there were no clues as to where he had gone. However, one day, entirely by accident and whilst searching for a lost item in the kitchen of her family home, she found a strange gold locket in a pile of assorted junk located in a store cupboard, which acted as 'home' to the family house elf, Kreacher.

Kreacher and Bella had always got on well and she disliked the way he was treated by the older members of the family, feeling he should be given more respect for the good service he gave them. The only Black family member closer to Kreacher had been her cousin Regulus, who'd treated him as a confidant and indeed almost like a friend and equal, despite the disapproval of his elders.

Bellatrix was intrigued by the locket she had found and somehow sensed that it held something strange inside. She tried to open the locket to find out if it contained any clues as to it's origin, but nothing she tried by force or magic could open it, the thing obviously had powerful magical protections. She then questioned Kreacher, as it had been in 'his' cupboard.

Kreacher, despite being generally on very good terms with 'Mistress Bella', at first would tell her nothing of how it came into his possession. However, when she mentioned that maybe the mysterious appearance of the strangely resistant locket in the house had something to do with the disappearance of his beloved 'Master Regulus' Kreacher then broke down sobbing and in a faltering voice told her the whole story.

She learned how Regulus had rebelled against Lord Voldermort after learning of his cruelty and lies, of his true plans and the killings he had carried out personally or ordered others to commit. Kreacher then told Bella how the final straw for Regulus had been Voldermort's cruel treatment of Kreacher himself. Bella also learned how Regulus had died after ordering Kreacher to take the horcrux locket from the hellish place Lord Voldermort had hidden it, how he had ordered Kreacher to destroy it but that the elf had failed, it's magical protection being just too strong. This story shocked Bellatrix to her very core and she realised how she had been an utter fool to allow the evil 'Dark Lord' to take over her life.

That evening Bellatrix Black went to bed a very sad and disillusioned young woman.

She slept fitfully and had many disturbing nightmares, but then a more peaceful dream overcame her and she found herself back at Hogwarts, in the empty Quidditch arena.

She was sat in the stands watching her beloved cousin Regulus flying over the pitch, practising on his broom. He swooped down, landed beside her and smiled his charming and cheeky smile, which she had always loved. "Well, well, Bellatrix Black, my favourite cousin, it's wonderful to see you again." Regulus said. We've both got ourselves into a right pickle over Tom Riddle haven't we? That bastard fooled us both and what's more there's far worse to come, you have to stop him Bella! The Powers of Light themselves are revolted by what he has done and, worse still, what he will yet do if nothing changes! This is why they have given their permission for me to show you what will happen if you can't change things. But be warned it's horrible! Are you up for it old stick? I'm sorry but it won't be pleasant."

Bellatrix gulped nervously but silently nodded her agreement. She then was shown in her mind's eye what would happen over the next years of her life, through her appalling loveless marriage to the Death Eater, Rodolphus Lestrange, her descent into evil, torture, insanity and murder. Her long hellish imprisonment in Azkaban prison, the mass casualties at Hogwarts School and her eventual death at the hands of Molly Weasley in the 'final battle'.

Seeing this Bella nearly passed out and holding her spinning head in her hands she started crying. Shaking she sobbed "I never meant for anything like that to happen Regulus, I swear I didn't! I thought Lord Voldermort was simply acting for the good of us Purebloods, and through us for the good of everyone. But he's a vile, brutal, murdering liar!"

"Not good is it Bella, old thing?" Regulus told her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder and smiling sympathetically. "It's too late for me to go back in person and change things for the better. I died trying to do what little I could, all I can do is to help you as I am now, but you can still turn it around for yourself.

I once heard a very wise muggle saying, it went, 'There Is No Fate, But What We Make'. I think maybe that's true Bella and that it means that you can still choose the side of light and of life. That is precisely why the Powers of Light have permitted me to come to you tonight, they've decided to let me tell you some things that will help you."

Regulus then went on to let her know exactly what Lord Voldermort/Tom Riddle's horcruxes were, how he had made them, where the remaining ones were hidden and how they could be destroyed. Regulus then went on to explain why they must all be destroyed soon, if possible before Riddle could start the forthcoming first magical war that was drawing ever closer and, if not by then, at least in time to prevent the murders of James and Lily Potter and the orphaning of their soon to be born son Harry.

He told Bella, "From where I am we spirits are effectively outside time, to us there is no 'future' or 'past', which is how I know all these things which I have told you. The Powers of Light are themselves appalled by the carnage and suffering that will be caused by Tom Riddle. They have debated long and hard about this intervention, such actions on their part are usually incredibly rare. But it was their collective shame at their own failure to act in the case of the muggle's most recent World War and at the appalling deliberate atrocities that were involved in those tragedies which eventually tipped the balance of the debate amongst them. It forced them to decide in favour of this attempt to prevent an equally appalling tragedy amongst us magical folk."

Regulus went on to say, "That is why they have given me permission to come to you and help you by giving you this information, in the hope that you can change what otherwise will happen. Well, what do you say Bella old thing, do you want to give it a go and try and stop the bastard? If anybody can do so it's my beautiful Pureblood 'Warrior Witch' cousin. You could always whip my arse in a practice duel." Regulus smiled lifting Bella's chin and kissing her on her forehead.

Straightening up, ceasing to cry and with a look of furious indignation on her beautiful face Bellatrix forcefully replied, "Too bloody right I will Regulus! How dare that mongrel bastard drag all of us Purebloods down to his level! What kind of a monster tries to kill babies? Not to mention hundreds of decent witches and wizards, untold numbers of muggles and even stooping as low as murdering dozens of schoolchildren in my own old school! He must be stopped and I'm going to bloody well do it or my name isn't Bellatrix Black!"

"Now that's what I call proper Pureblood pride Bella," Regulus beamed. "It's good to see your back on the right side. Go and get the sod then Bellatrix Black, Warrior Witch, and good luck! And although I love you I hope I won't be seeing you here with me too soon." Regulus Black smiled at her and the dream faded.

XXXX

Bellatrix rose in fury from her sleep and dressed, then seizing the horcrux locket Kreacher had failed to destroy she headed to the Ministry of Magic in Central London and to the same Auror Department which she had been secretly working against for quite some time. Rousing the night detail she reported in to the Senior Auror on duty, requesting an interview with her boss the next day.

Then she left London, thinking to herself, "Well, I've already got one horcrux, the locket, and that was perhaps the most heavily defended of them all. Two more of the horcruxes are very easily dealt with if Voldermort is unaware they are under attack. I'll go and get both of them right now, the quicker the better."

Picking up a spare transport broom from her Department's stores she left the Ministry and disapparated to Hogsmeade village, then flew to the school and defeated the perimeter security with ease. It was not set very high at that time in any case, as it did not need to be, there being no known threat. It was simply there, as ever, to act as a muggle deterent. Bella was soon entering The Room of Requirement to successfully hunt out Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem, whilst the school slept.

Retrieving it and leaving Hogwarts with the diadem she immediately set off to seek out the ring that she been told by the spirit of Regulus was buried at the old Gaunt shack, near to Tom Riddle's muggle father's house. She checked the site of the hidden dark object for alarm spells that might alert Lord Voldermort to her presence, but finding none she dug up the horcrux ring and being careful not to handle it, (knowing it to be cursed and therefore capable of defending itself), she placed both it, the locket she'd brought from her home and the diadem on the dirt floor of the old wrecked shack then piled broken bits of wooden furniture on top of them.

Having done so she then, stepped out of the remains of the tumbledown building and summoned fiend fire, which she knew would be capable of destroying all three of the horcruxes she'd retrieved so far. The subsequent fire in the old building was fierce and massive. It completely destroyed the shack and explosively overspilled, setting the nearby wood alight. Watching in satisfaction and leaving the fire to the muggle fire brigade, whom she was sure would soon be summoned, she climbed onto her borrowed broom and headed back towards her scheduled meeting at The Ministry, as the sun rose.


	6. Chapter 6 Closing The Net

**Chapter Six. Closing The Net.**

Alastor Moody, the Senior Field Investigator of the Auror Department was sat behind a large desk in the Head Auror's office. It was a borrowed desk and a borrowed office, as he was a man of action and rarely worked inside the main building. Being a man of action meant he was contemptuous of bureaucratic trappings and had neither an office nor desk of his own. He was a big, imposing man with several scars on his face, which he'd gained in combat against dark wizards and witches. He had a gruff manner, one which gave Bellatrix good reason to be nervous, given her involvement with Lord Voldermort and her previous actions on his behalf. She was sure she would be severely punished.

Despite her fears Bellatrix bravely sat on a chair on the other side of the desk to Alastor Moody, telling the stony faced silent Senior Auror of her previous night's adventures and of her previous duplicity against the Department. She was completely honest and held nothing back.

She came to the end of her tale saying, "So, that's the story then Sir, it's not a pretty one and I am by no means innocent in these matters myself, but I hope by coming to you and telling you all this that you'll help me destroy the remaining horcruxes and defeat Lord Voldermort. I can't prove what I've been told about the future but I certainly can prove that Riddle's horcruxes exist, and by their very existence they are certain proof that he is a murderer."

Bella continued, "As to the remaining horcruxes I know that one of them, Tom Riddle's diary, is hidden in a secret storeroom under Malfoy Manor. I'm sure that you could easily raid the place and destroy it, either fiend fire or basilisk venom will do so easily. Lucius Malfoy, my dear Brother in Law, is not so brave as to sacrifice himself and not to tell you exactly where it is, if confronted. The man is a spineless lizard. As to the other two horcruxes, well the hardest to find will be Helga Hufflepuff's goblet, but I know that since Voldermort has not yet given it up to be stored by myself in our family vault at Gringotts he would surely have kept it somewhere he considered safe up 'till now. I feel sure he'd want it somewhere he'd feel it would be secure and where he could watch over it.

In the face of there still being 'no comment' by Alastor Moody, Bellatrix continued. "I was thinking deeply about this as I flew back here in the early hours of this morning, which is why I flew back rather than apparating, I wanted time to think.

Now I'm just guessing, but the cup might well be in a place he associates with an old triumph and with vengeance. Just such a place being in his father's grave, or maybe in his father's old house, near where I found and destroyed the ring and the other two objects last night. I now think I made a bit of a tactical mistake with that fire last night, as the news of the destruction of the old Gaunt place might just get back to him from the muggle media and arouse his suspicions, so we have to act fast and find Helga's cup before he can move it if it's there. As long as I'm not actually under arrest for my part in this affair then I'd like to volunteer to try to get the goblet, if I may Sir."

"By all means," Moody replied, finally speaking and sounding far more reasonable and kind than Bella had expected. "No, you are not under arrest Ms. Black, nor even suspended, as yet. I admire your honesty for coming to me and commend your brave actions last night. But trust me, you will still have to face an exhaustive investigation when this is all over. Meanwhile though, you are still an Auror and still on duty.

He smiled at her, the scars creasing his face and then said, "Take a squad and search the two suspect places you mentioned. Meanwhile I'll personally take another and go for the diary at Malfoy's place. It'll give me great pleasure, I never liked or trusted that reptilian bastard Malfoy anyway, no matter how much he's smarmed his way into the 'good books' of the Ministry. We'll just make it look like a 'normal' raid for dark objects though and try not to mention the diary directly, then with luck the real reason for the raid won't get back to Voldermort."

XXXX

Shortly after gathering a small force Bellatrix then returned to the area she had been in the night before. The nearby copse of woodland was still steaming and smelled of burning wood, vehicle tracks showed that the muggle fire brigade had indeed put the fire out earlier. Searching through the charred embers of the old Gaunt shack, (virtually nothing of which remained), Bella found only a small solidified puddle of melted precious metal, which had once been the locket, the diadem and the ring. However the strange stone from the ring, though cracked, had also survived and she picked it up in an evidence bag, as well as the molten remnants.

Her squad of six Aurors she split into two groups. One party of two, including herself and another group of four. The larger group to search the old Riddle House, with the help of the local old muggle caretaker, who might know where in the building things could be concealed. Meanwhile Bellatrix herself and her companion Terry Johnson would examine Tom Riddle Senior's grave in the nearby churchyard.

On reaching the churchyard Bella was struck by a chilling sensation as she reached the large and ornate grave. The place felt far more 'disturbing' even than she normally would have expected for such a gloomy setting. Upon examining the tomb of Riddle's father Bella noticed that the growth of lichen on the marble seemed uneven and that it looked like some patches had been scraped away by it's being moved. This, it seemed, was very possibly where Helga Hufflepuff's relic, the golden cup which had been turned into a horcrux had been hidden, her hunch might well be right!

Using their wands Bellatrix and her colleague Terry gently lifted the massive and bizarre statue that looked like a cross between an angel and a figure of Death off of the grave. They set it down very slowly on the another stone topped grave twenty yards away, so as not to leave an obvious mark on the grass right next to their point of interest. They then also removed the stone lid underneath it covering the grave holding the coffin itself, very gently placing it on a the ground near the statue. Then they began using their wands to lift out the soil covering the coffin, and soon had revealed a mouldering lid. "I hope you're not squeamish Terry," Bellatrix said to her companion and then pointing her wand at the coffin lid said Diffindo! The lid immediately split open and blasted to one side.

It revealed the skeleton of a man inside, very else little survived other than a few scraps of clothing. However, in a corner of the box, just poking out from a pile of mouldering coffin lining something gleamed. "Bingo, that's it," shouted Bellatrix in triumph, and levitated what indeed turned out to the the object they'd sought. Helga Hufflepuff's golden cup. It flew into Bella's gloved left hand, a garment she had donned to stop herself from touching it, in case the cup was cursed, like the ring had been known to be.

"Please send your patronus to the squad in the house and tell them to call off the search could you Terry," Bella asked him. Then walking over to where they'd placed it she sat down on the marble lid of the grave. Slowly and very carefully cleaning off the cup on the hem of her combat robes, scrupulously avoiding touching it, she said. "So pretty, it's a genuine historical artefact too, it's shame we've got to destroy it, I hated destroying Rowena's diadem and that was nowhere near as pretty as this."

Placing the cup on the ground she took out a tiny phial of incredibly rare and very expensive basilisk venom and with extreme care poured a couple of drops into the cup. Black smoke began to be emitted from it immediately, followed by a tortured screaming sound, then it just as abruptly it stopped. As the smoke cleared Bellatrix saw the small gold jewel encrusted cup was still standing on the ground, looking exactly as it had before.

"Oh good," she said to Terry, "It seems the venom just destroyed the portion of the evil sod's soul that was in the cup making it a horcrux, but the goblet itself was untouched. Of course, I forgot, nothing much can chemically affect gold, no matter how toxic or corrosive. Once it's checked out by forensic wizards at The Ministry and we know it's safe for sure this can go back to the Hogwarts museum, where it belongs. At least they'll get one relic back." Bellatrix smiled happily, then picking up the cup gingerly by it's stem to avoid any residual venom inside it she washed it out in a nearby rain puddle that had formed in a stone flower bowl on top of another grave. Thus making it safe, Bella then gently wrapped it in her handkerchief and put it in her robe pocket.

Terry and Bellatrix then painstakingly magically repaired and replaced the coffin lid, refilled the grave and put back it's stone covering and the grisly statue exactly as it had been before, taking minute care to position it exactly as it had previously been. Then, to hide the small crumbs of soil amongst the grass next to the grave that their wands had missed they both used an Aguamente spell to cause sprays of water from their wands to dissolve them into the grass.

By the time they had finished no trace of their work could be seen by the graveside itself and only a slightly flattened area of grass many yards away where they had temporarily placed the stone covering revealed anything had happened at all. Even this area of flattened grass was springing up again now the weight of the stonework had been removed and they were in no doubt that by the next day scarcely any trace of their visit would remain detectable without minute scrutiny.

Rejoining the larger party of four Aurors at the Riddle House, (who also had put back everything just as it was), they then all thanked the old muggle caretaker for his help but, as a security measure and for his own safety, used Obliviate spells to modify his memory, so he would never remember they'd been there. Before he came to his senses they all then dissapparated back to London and returned to their office.

They found on arriving that Alastor Moody and the other party of Aurors who had paid a 'surprise visit' to Malfoy Manor had also met with success, had captured and destroyed the diary with basilisk venom and taken Lucius Malfoy into custody. What's more they'd done so without even mentioning their 'primary target' but instead had arrested him for the possession of several other dark objects and incriminating evidence they'd found in his hidden storeroom. By the time he wormed his way out of the charges, (and he probably would), the diary would be replaced with a harmless duplicate substitute, so he'd never know it was gone.

The Auror Department was still buzzing about this when Bellatrix and her party entered and Moody beamed at them, congratulating her team for a job well done. He took Bella aside and he said, "well done to you too Ms. Black, I think we can say that if I possibly can I will try and ensure that you do not meet any severe punishment when this matter is scrutinised by the Department. Especially if we can catch that bastard Tom Riddle and kill him, or get him banged up where he belongs in Azkaban!"

"Thank you Sir," Bella replied happily, "But I'm fairly sure he still has one remaining horcrux out there, that bloody snake of his that he got a while back and that he dotes on. Nagini, he calls the damn thing and it's got to be nearly six feet long, thick as my arm and poisonous! I'm fairly sure he's made that snake a horcrux itself Sir, from the way he's able to control it it's like part of himself is inside it. We'd better be sure and bump that thing off first before we go after him."

"And exactly how do we do that Miss Black," Moody asked.

"I haven't a clue at the moment Sir," she replied, "but I'll think of something," and feeling happy with her last twenty four hours work Bella cheekily dared to wink at Alastor Moody, then with his permission went home for a well earned sleep.


	7. Chapter 7 The Prophesy

**Chapter Seven. The Prophesy.**

However, despite all the Aurors had done to maintain his ignorance of their attacks on his horcruxes Lord Voldermort soon went to ground, probably worried about the raid on Malfoy Manor and the arrest of Lucius Malfoy for possession of dark objects. Although not knowing that the diary was it's main objective or whether, if found, it had meant anything to the raiders, nor for that matter if it had even been found at all.

However, not much later, after his release by The Ministry, (in which over the years he had bought many friends), Lucius Malfoy was able to check on the diary when he returned to his mansion and he was relieved to be able to inform Lord Voldermort that it was still safe in his possession, Lucius not knowing of the substituted fake now in it's place.

Because of this information Lord Voldermort did not bother to check on the other horcruxes as he had been planning, since obviously if the Aurors had not seized the diary when they had such an easy opportunity to do so, he assumed they could not possibly know about the rest of them.

However, Lord Voldermort remained in hiding for some time and was no longer appearing or speaking in public. Despite this he did press forward with his plans for domination and continued to recruit Death Eaters in very large numbers. Nevertheless he did not hear anything about the destruction of the majority of his other horcruxes. The information about the fire in the wood not having made it past the local muggle newspaper and Lord Voldermort and his Death Eaters, fortunately, were not in the habit of scanning the muggle newspapers or broadcast media.

Also, because he remained in ignorance of the loss of the majority of his horcuxes, this meant that Bellatrix was, as far as Lord Voldermort knew, still his faithful servant and so she still held his confidence.

Some months later, at a meeting of the more senior Death Eaters, convened at the old Riddle House and which Bella bravely attended, Lord Voldermort let slip that the main reason he had 'gone underground' was that a Death Eater called Severus Snape, (whom he'd positioned at Hogwarts close to Albus Dumbledore to spy on him), had just told him of a prophecy which had recently been made. It seemed it was about a child who'd recently been born and who might have the power to destroy him. He said he wanted them all to put their maximum effort into identifying this child and he would then 'deal with the matter personally', as he put it.

Bellatrix knew from what Regulus had told her in her dream that he meant to try to murder the baby whom she'd been told was called Harry Potter and, (if they got in his way), kill his parents. She also knew this attempt to murder the child, which would result in James and Lily's murder, would ultimately backfire on Lord Voldermort. However, Bella also knew from the information Regulus had given her, that in the end this failure would only precipitate far more atrocious events later, upon his return to power. Bellatrix therefore swore that at all costs she would bring Voldermort's reign of terror to an end as soon as possible, and that at all costs she would prevent the attack on the Potters.

Bella was worried that when the meeting at the old Riddle house ended Lord Voldermort might want to visit the nearby grave of his father and check on the horcrux it had held, so she bravely and stealthily followed him after the meeting and he did indeed briefly visit the graveside.

However the grave's cover had so skilfully been put back exactly as it had previously been that no trace it having been opened could be seen from the outside, so Lord Voldermort spent only enough time there to insult the memory of his muggle father, gloat for a few minutes and then leave.

A year went past and in that time Lord Voldermort and his followers had been becoming much more violently active, Voldermort having steadily built up his forces to huge numbers. People, both magical and muggle, were being threatened, disappearing or simply being killed in large numbers and the Wizarding World was becoming terrified. Regarding the child Lord Voldermort had come to the conclusion that it was indeed Harry Potter, born at the time prophesied, who should be his target and that he had chosen to kill him as soon as he discovered where the Potter family had been hidden. He did not know however that it was Bella's warning that had caused them to go into hiding in the first place.

On the afternoon of Halloween, Peter Pettigrew, a weak willed and fearful excuse for a man and false friend of the Potters turned traitor. The Potter family having mistakenly made him Secret Keeper for the Potter's refuge and fearing for his life as a result he came to Lord Voldermort and in a private meeting told him where the family could be found.

However, thankfully, Pettigrew and several of the Potter's other friends and acquaintances were being kept under surveillance by the Aurors and when Pettigrew went to one of Lord Voldermort's suspected hideouts it was immediately decided to relocate the Potter family and to place them into the independent care of The Order of the Phoenix. This new magical Order had been formed by Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black, (Bella's estranged cousin who had been disowned by the family), the Longbottoms and several others, as a secondary line of defence in case Voldermort had any other moles in the Auror's Department or the wider Ministry.

Bellatrix and her colleagues arrested Pettigrew shortly after he left Voldermort's hideout and having no time for gentle persuasion and with Ministry permission used Veritaserum and a degree of force to find out what he and Voldermort had said to each other.

XXXX

So, that fateful Halloween night arrived. Bellatrix had demanded (and got) from Alastor Moody the right to be the one on scene in the house to confront Voldermort/Riddle personally. Moody admired her courage, knew her very strong combat abilities and accepted her right to do so as a matter of Pureblood honour, since one of her own family had been murdered.

All was in place that evening, except the one vital element. The living horcrux, Nagini, the snake was still alive. It must be killed before tackling Voldermort, since unless that was done he was still effectively immortal. Even should Bellatrix kill Riddle's body at the empty Potter House unless the Aurors had also killed the snake first his soul would live on and almost certainly, one day, find a way to return.

However, as a result of the surveillance of Peter Pettigrew it was now known where Voldermort was currently based and it was arranged that as soon as it was confirmed that he had left the building and was heading towards Godric's Hollow a very strong 'storming force' of Aurors would attack any Death Eaters remaining there and then blast the snake with fiend fire, before Voldermort could react or return from Godric's Hollow to stop them, should he somehow detect what was happening. It was a risky strategy, but all they had.

As satisfied with the plan as she could be, Bellatrix calmly awaited the arrival of Lord Voldermort in the bedroom of the Potter's house, the stage being set and the trap baited by her having placed the two dummy wands on the sofa, in plain view from the front window. All was in readiness.


	8. Chapter 8 The Duel In The Garden Pt2

**Chapter Eight. The Duel In The Garden, Part Two.**

Lord Voldermort caught the wand that Bellatrix had thrown to him and almost simultaneously blasted out a stunning curse at her as soon as it was in his hand, but he had no time to aim properly and it hit a small wooden garden summerhouse next to her, causing it to partially collapse.

In return Bella shot a powerful jinx at Lord Voldermort, which he only just avoided in time by ducking behind the tree he'd stood next to. As Voldermort took cover so did Bella in turn, ducking behind the broken summerhouse, from where she watched the thick trunk of the tree hiding Voldermort from her concealed position.

"Well Tom," called Bella. "This is interesting isn't it? As I see it it's a fifty fifty chance. I don't know if you'll come out from the left or right of that tree but I can only hit one side or the other before you get a shot at me, if I stand up in the open. Interesting indeed eh?"

"You dare use my despised muggle name Bellatrix? For that alone I must kill you, prepare to die!"

Yes, I dare call you by your real name Tom Riddle, you lying mongrel," replied Bellatrix, and as to dying, well we'll see which of us does that."

Riddle replied, "You have no chance, hiding behind that flimsy, broken shed Bellatrix. Just another blast and it'll collapse completely, leaving you with no cover at all. Why not surrender? I might be merciful, you never know. After all you have been useful to me in the past."

"Your right about this flimsy building Tom, that's for sure, but in order to demolish it you still need to break cover and, like I said, it's then fifty fifty, left or right of the tree. So why don't you surrender? Throw out that wand and toddle off to Azkaban where you belong, I'm sure the dementors are dying to see you and can't wait to give you a great big kiss!"

"Why are you siding with the mudbloods, half breeds and blood traitors Bella? I thought you were a proud Pureblood witch, not a supporter of mongrels and muggles." Tom Riddle called from his refuge.

"You're a bloody murdering hypocrite Riddle," said Bella, "Of the two of us I'm the only Pureblood here and you are the mongrel, I have seen the hell to which following you will drag my fellow Purebloods. It already happened to my cousin Regulus, a Pureblood killed by the trap you set. You respect nothing and will kill anyone to achieve power. We old wizarding families may be rightly proud, but we are certainly not murderers of children!"

"By the way, we know all about your horcruxes Tom. I've been to your muggle father's grave and yes we did find Helga's pretty little cup! I went to your downtrodden, half-mad witch mother's family home as well, where I had a little 'bonfire of the vanities' and used fiend fire on Rowena's diadem, Slytherin's locket and that lovely little ring you had. Incidentally Tom, I recovered the stone from the ring after the fire and some of our Research Wizards at the Department of Mysteries think it might have been something called a 'Deathly Hallow' even before you made a horcrux out of it, sadly the fire destroyed any power it might once have had. Thought you might be interested to know that anyway, before you die."

Bellatrix continued saying, "We figured you've been aiming to make seven horcruxes eventually Tom, that being a magic number in arithmancy. But as yet we are fairly sure you only had six and Lucius did a poor job of hiding your diary. That just leaves your dear Nagini, but guess what? They say barbecued snake tastes just like chicken and she should be done to a tee, just about now! I may pop over after I kill you and give it a try."

Hearing his last hope for immortality was gone Voldermort gave a terrible keening cry and emerged from the right hand side of the tree, wand in hand trying to cast a killing curse at Bellatrix, who had already emerged from the cover of the damaged summerhouse and stood in the open facing him.

But it was Riddle's barely human sounding cry that gave Bellatrix a slight advantage, as she heard the direction he was moving behind the tree before he had fully emerged and with that split second advantage her Avada Kedavra killing curse hit him first, full in the chest as he stepped out. Riddle died , right there, without making a further sound, except a slight thud as his body hit the soft, grassy ground.

Just seconds later several of her Auror colleagues stormed into the garden, wands at the ready and then Alastor Moody made a more sedate entry. He walked over to Tom Riddle's body, nudged it gently with the side of his foot and then said to Bellatrix, "Well done Ms. Black, a bloody good job! I think this will mean a promotion for you!"

Alastor Moody then smiled at Bella, looking a little sly and saying, "I believe there was some sort of confusion earlier as to your role in this affair, but sadly all the records of our previous meetings seem to have got lost," he smiled. "Some sort of bloody administrative cock up again I suppose, I wouldn't know, can't stand bloody paperwork anyway."

Moody winked at her and went on. "I swear the Admin Section at the Ministry are getting worse by the day. I believe your ex works there? Perhaps you could have a word with him and get them to buck their ideas up. Anyway I'm damned if I can remember what you told me in our first meeting exactly No matter, this bugger's dead, you killed him and so that's that as far as I'm concerned! My report will recommend you receive a commendation. I think you're also overdue for some well earned leave.


	9. Chapter 9 Epilogue Back To The Alps

**Epilogue. Back To The Alps**

The snow that year was excellent for skiing and Bella put on her sexiest and tightest ski outfit and gave Ian 'twirl' to model it for him. After she had defeated Tom Riddle she had taken a month's leave of absence and tried to rebuild her life and her relationships and in this she had happily been successful. Ian and Bellatrix were reunited, (although she still retained the Black name), and the rift with her friends Geoff and Morganna was also healed.

Despite her success in defeating Tom Riddle, the gratitude of the Potter family and the praise and gallantry medal she got from the Ministry she felt unable to carry on her career as an Auror, feeling, perhaps rightly, that compared to what she'd already achieved anything else would be less of a challenge. Also, despite what Alastor Moody had done for her in concealing her earlier involvement with Lord Voldermort, perhaps she still felt a little guilty and tainted by it.

So Bella and Morganna had gone back to their earliest love from their school days, their superb fashion sense. Together they'd opened a stylish and hugely successful witches boutique in Diagon Alley, purveying fine (and very expensive) continentally sourced ladies couture to a rich and therefore mostly a Pureblood clientèle. But Bellatrix had learned to be a lot more open minded, having seen where misplaced and excessive Pureblood pride could lead. Just so as long as her clients were rolling in money she didn't much care about their 'blood status' any more. '_Well, at least it was some small improvement, if not exactly the height of morality! "Know Thyself, Bella.'_ She thought with a smile.

The two young couples, Bellatrix and Ian, plus Morganna and Geoff were back at the same chalet at which they'd enjoyed such a carefree time when they were still at school. Bella's older sister Andromeda plus her husband Ted Tonks, (Mark, her old boyfriend long since having 'fallen by the wayside'), were also with them and most welcome despite Ted's muggle ancestry. Bella's newly learned humility and empathy from her experiences meant she was able to be on very friendly terms with Ted, who she thought made a good pairing with Andromeda.

Andromeda and Ted's baby daughter Nymphadora, (who was a 'wild talent' Metamorphmagus as well as being Bella's much loved young niece), was staying at the home of Morganna's mother and father, along with Morganna and Geoff's daughter Estelle, to act as mutual playmates and keep each other company, whilst the children's parents got some 'adult time'.

The rest of the Black family were outraged by Andromeda's marriage and had disowned her. Bellatrix however had slyly kept her peace about the situation and her family therefore did not realise she'd undergone something of an 'attitude adjustment'. She had even contacted her estranged cousin, Regulus' brother Sirius Black via his friendship with the Potters, with a view to the possibility of also mending their rift. However, her other sister Narcissa, who was married to the vile Lucious Malfoy, (now in prison for a long stretch as a convicted Death Eater), had vowed never to speak to Bellatrix again, which was just fine by Bella!

Albus Dumbledore had been in touch and she was seriously considering his invitation to join The Order of the Phoenix. After all, even though Tom Riddle was dead there were still some of his supporters at large, also new evil would one day inevitably arise and need fighting in the future. Bellatrix, (Auror or not), would, at heart, always be a Warrior Witch by nature and was fairly sure she would be joining the Order soon. Even 'posh frock' sellers can kick ass, she thought, laughing inside to herself.

What made the holiday they were on even more enjoyable for Bella was that no-one had told her still bigoted parents that Andromeda and Ted would be staying at the Black family chalet and Bellatrix for one wouldn't be telling them, she thought, smiling somewhat smugly to herself. The group had even managed to find the addresses of some of the Beauxbatons graduate girls whom they had met on their previous trip many years earlier and they had arranged to meet them later in the week. It was shaping up to be another great holiday.

Heading off to the ski slopes hand in hand with her husband, with her friends and her favourite sister by her side she felt very satisfied and hoped that, wherever he was, her late cousin Regulus, (to whom she was truly grateful for giving her back her life and honour), was as happy as she was.

All was well in Bella's world.

The End

_But! Bella and her trusty friend Morganna, Order of the Phoenix members, independent dark wizard hunters, amateur(ish) detectives and posh frock sellers extraordinary will be back, in The Case of the Mislaid Muggle. C'mon, you didn't really think Bellatrix Black would settle down into a safe, boring life, did you? _


End file.
